Does Baby Sign Language Really Make Babies Talk Earlier? What do you think? Are you and your baby signing?
A long term study suggests that teaching sign language to hearing babies between 9 months and 2 1/2 years old leads to better communication, speeds up the process of learning to talk, stimulates intellectual development, enhances self-esteem and strengthens parent-child bonds. However, there are some skeptics including parents and professionals that say baby's who sign dont talk any earlier than babies who don't.

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According to a recent study, breastfeeding has more even more benefits for your baby. Breastfeeding lowers baby's blood pressure.
Read the full article here

Does your child need a bedtime routine? - Yes!
Do you struggle to get your child to bed at night? We sure did with our daughter. She would refuse to go to sleep in her bed and wanted to hangout with us until we were ready for bed and of course then she would want to sleep in Mama’s and Daddy’s bed. That all changed when we finally sat down and established a bedtime routine. It helped our daughter establish healthy sleeping habits and got us back into ours. On top of it, we now have a little time to ourselves at night. Maybe you have heard on TV or read in a parenting magazine that your child needs a bedtime routine. Or you are just plain tired of having to run to her room 20 times before she finally dozes off. For whatever reason you decided it’s time to start setting up a bedtime routine. Where do you go from here? Obviously you are not going to change your child’s habits from one day to the next. Consistency is going to be key, which is why we started by drawing up a basic little plan. Take out a pen and a piece of paper and jot down the following: How much sleep does your child need What time does he/ she need to get up in the morning What are his/her favorite calm activities (reading a book, taking abath, cuddling with you, talking about your day, going for a stroll through the yard, putting on pj’s) From this list, come up with an action plan. Figure out when you need to put your child to bed to make sure she gets enough sleep. This will be your final goal. What time does she go to bed now? Plan on moving her bedtime back about 30 minutes every few days to give her some time to adjust in between. Pick a few of her favorite calm activities and spend about 30 to 40 minutes on those while also getting her in her pj’s, teeth brushed and off to bed. Expect some initial resistance to the new routine. Kids can be pretty creative when it comes to excuses why they can’t possibly go to sleep just yet. My little sister once insisted that her doll just had to blow her nose. Try to anticipate those excuses and last minute requests and make them part of the bedtime routine. If you know your child is going to ask for a sip of water, keep a glass on her night table. Make other requests part of your bedtime routine. If she usually asks to say goodnight to the family pet, have her do that before you put her in herPJ’s and tuck her in. Another good tip is to give her choices in the routine. It is usually best to limit those choices to 2 or 3. Ask her if she would like to take a bath or a shower, if she wants Mom or Dad to tuck her in, if she wants you to read “Goodnight Moon” or “The hungry little caterpillar”. Let her pick the red or yellow pj’s. Only give her options that you can live with. That way you both win. She feels like she is having some control over her life and you get her to do what needs done. Above all stay calm and patient. Getting to sleep is a hard task to master for a child. She needs your help to establish healthy sleeping patters. If she keeps getting up for the next few nights, put her gently but firmly back to bed and tell her that it is time to sleep. Offer to come back and check on her in a few minutes and follow through. It will make her feel more secure and chances are she’ll be sound asleep by the time you walk back in there.

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Susanne Myers is the founder of www.kinderinfo.com , the one-stop online children's resource center. Here you will find all kinds of answers to help you with your family, including information on child care options and locations, educational resources, sports and recreation, home-based activities, party and event planning, even quick and easy recipes. We seek to answer all kid-related questions!

We have found free e-flashcards for your toddler. These e-flashcards are multi-sensory flashcards and they will teach your toddler. The cards will also allow your toddler to learn to use the computer. There are two sets of flashcards for toddlers. They are alphabet and words.

Go to TheSmartBaby to get your free flashcards.

Giving you another way to increase your baby and toddlers intelligence

Breastfeeding = trusting, secure, and loving baby




portrait by Rebecca Grantham

Custom Fine Art Pastel Portraits
of Adults, Children and Pets
and Plein Air LandscapesWebsite- www.granthamstudio.com
Portrait Blog- http://granthamstudio.blogspot.com
Landscape blog- http://pleinairlandscapes.blogspot.com

Create a Story Book with Your Child
A fun way to build your child’s imagination
By Susanne Myers

Writing is still one of our major forms of communication as well as a great way to express ourselves. Creating a storybook with your child is a fun way to introduce him or her to creative writing. You will also get to spend a few hours of quality time together and the end result will become a family treasure for years to come.All you need is a notebook, a pen, and anything else you and your child would like to use to illustrate a story. You can draw pictures together, or make a collage out of old photos and magazine cut outs. Of course you can also add stickers, glitter or anything else you can come up with.But let’s start at the beginning. The idea is to come up with a story and to write it down in the notebook. If your child has never made up a story, she will need some guidance and help from you. Think about what she is interested in right now: dinosaurs, ponies, ballet; characters from a particular book or TV show, etc.Ask your child to name the main characters and encourage them to describe what they look like, what clothes they are wearing and where they are. You’ll be surprised how quickly they will come up with a story line from there. Encourage them along the way.If your child is old enough to write, have her write the story herself as you go along creating it. Offer to take turns if she is still new at writing. Otherwise, write it down for her.Have fun decorating or illustrating the story.Start your next creative writing afternoon by reading some of the stories you have already created. Give your child the option to either continue with the same set of characters or to come up with some new ones. Before long you will have an entire book of stories that you will both treasure for a long time.

Susanne Myers is the founder of www.kinderinfo.com, the one-stop online children's resource center. Here you will find all kinds of answers tohelp you with your family, including information on child care optionsand locations, educational resources, sports and recreation, home-basedactivities, party and event planning, even quick and easy recipes. Weseek to answer all kid-related questions!

Terrific Tips for Parents Who Want To Teach Their Child A Second Language

You realize the benefits of having a second language, but do you know where to turn or how to begin the process of teaching your little one a second language? Read through the following second language learning tips provided by a bilingual mom, educator and leading expert on the subject:• Start the second language learning early! Experts agree – the earlier, the better. Play language music CDs during the pregnancy. Talk to your baby from the moment of birth – in two or more languages if possible. If you and your family only speak one language, begin introducing a new language with bilingual music CDs and DVDs when appropriate.• Repetition is the key for all your child’s learning. Repeat! Repeat! Repeat!• From birth through age 10, many experts advise using the native and the new languages together. After about age 12, total immersion is a good option. Early in life, the bilingual approach is best.• Find a bilingual language learning program and/or product for your young child that incorporates these components: visual, music, beginning reading and verbal exchange.• Help your child enjoy the new language daily. Guidelines by age are as follows, using music, movement and creative learning tools: infant = 10 minutes toddler = 20 minutes preschooler = 30 minutes elementary school child = 45+ minutes• Make learning the new language fun! Don’t ever force it.• Gently guide your child into the new language journey. Show a high level of confidence. Smiling usually works best!• If your home language is Spanish, do not agree to an immersion program of English only for your child under the age of 10. The “sink or swim” mentality does not work for little children.• If your Spanish-speaking child is learning English, do not listen to school staff who suggest you give up speaking your native language at home. The myth that your children will be language delayed or have a language disorder is just that – a myth. In fact, bilingual children will ultimately speak both languages better! (c) 2005 - All Rights Reserved.

Beth Butler is the creator of the BOCA BETH Program - a bilingual educational program geared towards helping young children get a head start on becoming bilingual. She motivates and assists educators in developing a bilingual environment for children, and she has developed a program that makes bilingual education a fun and easy part of the normal, child-raising routine for today's parents. For more information, visit http://www.bocabeth.com

Raising a smart baby is simple. There are several simple things you can do daily to give your baby the edge and give them a head start in life.

1.) Read to your baby everyday! Read simple books, read the newspaper out loud, read to your baby wherever you go!

2.) Listen to music with your baby! I talked about this yesterday and I believe music is very important for brain stimulation and development. Sing and dance along to the music.

3.) Give your child educational toys. Give your child only a few toys at a time. Some great educational toys for babies are fabirc picture books, activity centers, large blocks, stacking cups, large plastic,unbreakable mirror. You can find more toys at http://www.elearningtoys.com


These are just a few things you can do easily everyday to give your child an early start in life.

We all want to know how to make our babies smarter. We all want to know how to raise a smart child, don't we? Today, I came across a website, http://www.gentlerevolution.com, that sells books and DVDs to parents to make their babies and children smarter.

You can buy several different books and DVDs ranging from "How To Teach Your Baby to Read", "How To Teach Your Baby Math", and "How To Teach Your Baby to be Physically Superb".

Music has been known to stimulate babies. Many doctors, researchers, and child development psychologists believe that music makes a child smarter. Music is important for brain development. I recently read somewhere that Mozart's music has been found to stimulate the same neurons in the brain that are later used for mathematics.

I play all types of music to my 10 month old and 4 year old. I think any type of music is important for stimulation. Classical music is not the only option you have.

So turn up your favorite music and dance around the house with your kids. You will be happy that you did and you will be making them smarter and happier at the same time! You will also be increasing your child's appreciation for all different types of music.

Raising Creative Kids

"Where did he come up with that?" Kids often amaze uswith their imaginative ideas, and we should giveourselves a pat on the back for playing a role in thisdevelopment. Innovative thinking is essential forsuccess in school and in life, and it's our job asparents to nurture our kids' innate desire to becreative. Inventive play fosters original thinking, anasset when children are confronted with newsituations. By providing activities that use theircreativity and imaginations, we are giving ourchildren an important tool to deal with life down theroad.Give them ideas. Children come up with things to do on their own, butwe also need to provide them with new ideas ofinteresting activities. Think back to what you did asa kid. Did you write a diary, create elaborate puppetshows, or sing and dance for relatives? Share ideasfrom your own childhood experiences. Offer creativewriting ideas like writing an episode for a favoritetelevision show or writing a new ending to a favoritestory. Craft projects offer another outlet forinspiring imaginations. Craft kits, especially thosefrom Curiosity Kits and ALEX, offer a wide variety ofunusual and fun projects. They've brought us a longway from the sock puppets of our youth. Thesemanufacturers offer ideas and supplies to make suchthings as scrapbooks, powerballs, soaps, candy, suncatchers, dolls, planes, dinosaurs, jewelry treasures,and lots of decorative items. Kids can gather ideasfrom the instructions, and then give the projectstheir own unique touches.Keep ideas fresh.Pick up any parenting magazine and you'll find lots ofideas to get those creative juices flowing in yourkids. Search the web and check out craft stores. Keepa journal or file for magazine clippings and ideas asyou find them. Stockpile so that you'll know how toanswer the whiny "I'm bored" call from your kids.Give them freedom.Once you've given your kids some suggestions andsupplies, step back and see which they choose andwhere they go with them. This unstructured play timegives kids an opportunity to stretch their creativemuscles. Watch as they incorporate your ideas andbranch out on their own.Set an example.Chances are, if you are a creative person, your childwill be too. You display creativity in your everydayactivities like when you reason with a disgruntledchild, change lyrics to songs, and maybe even do someinterpretive dancing to entertain a toddler. Yourchildren see your silliness and it rubs off on them.You surely use creativity to juggle your and yourfamily's schedules. It's a great idea to point out toyour kids how you use creativity in your daily life.As parents, we always try to do the very best for ourkids and provide opportunities that will help themmature into intelligent, capable adults. Nurturingtheir creative spirits helps them along this road.With their well-developed imaginations, maybe they'llturn it into a yellow brick, pink polka-dotted roadwith sparkles!Susan Stump is the mother of two children and theowner of ChildCrafter, Co. - Craft Kits andSubscriptions that Inspire a Child's Imagination. Thiswork-at-home-mom offers a great selection of creativecraft kits from ALEX, Quincrafts, and Curiosity Kitsfrom her catalog and website http://www.childcrafter.com

=====Susan Stump Owner Childcrafter Co. Craft Kits and Subscriptions that Inspire a Child's Imagination http://www.childcrafter.com information@childcrafter.com

"Who's Afraid of the Dark? Reflections on Attachment Parenting and Co-Sleeping"by Miriam Metzinger

I came to attachment parenting accidentally and on purpose.I say "accidentally" because it was only after my first child was six months old that I learned, for the first time from a friend, about Dr. Sears' theory of parenting based on the basic "Bs": bonding, breastfeeding, baby-wearing, bed-sharing and boundary-building. Up to that point, I had been raising my child according to those principles without even realizing that such a theory existed. Most of my reading had been about pregnancy and child birth, since the prospect of going into labor for the first time made me feel a bit nervous, and I wanted to be aware of the process from beginning to end. The only conscious decision I made about child-raising before the baby was born was that I was going to attempt to breast feed, if I could manage the breastfeeding techniques and encourage him to latch on correctly. The other "attachment" practices evolved from breastfeeding, and I found myself adopting behaviors automatically that might never had occurred to me before giving birth, or I might even have disapproved of before I understood how well they worked in practice. Co-sleeping began the first night we came home from the hospital. I had tried several times to put the baby to sleep in the bassinet, but he simply wasn't sleeping. For some reason which I cannot fathom even today, my milk was delayed in "arriving", and my son was hungrily draining drop by drop of colostrum, satisfied only for a few minutes or half an hour before wanting to feed again.The labor had been quite long, several days, and the only way to catch up on some much-needed sleep was to plop down on a mattress next to him and nap between these frequent feedings. I had never planned to put a baby in my bed to sleep, since I had internalized disapproving remarks about the practice from relatives and friends, many of whom were also wary about breastfeeding. However, I soon felt the power of the bond between my son and I as he ate and we slept. I wonder if one of the reasons he, thank Heaven, did not get very sick the first winter was that, in addition to the antibodies he wasreceiving from my breastmilk, the constant physical contact during the cold winter nights might have given his immune system a boost (studies have shown that affectionate physical contact can improve one's ability to fight off illness). I also was able to avoid the sleepless nights about which I had heard many anecdotes from weary friends who would wake up several times a night to feed their baby in a chair before putting him or her back into the bassinet. Through breastfeeding and co-sleeping, my baby could eat without my having to get out of bed!Co-sleeping, along with some of the other attachment parenting "b"s, is often unfairly criticized by self-styled "traditionalists" as yet another sure-fire method of spoiling a child and preventing him or her from developing a sense of independence. The safety of co-sleeping has also been questioned. However, parents who sleep with their babies are as in tune with the child's biological processes as with their emotional needs; a mother who sleeps with the baby she nurses is able to monitor, during waking moments, the child's physical needs, perhaps preventing SIDS or other dangers. There is no evidence to suggest that letting a baby "cry it out" in a solitary crib creates confident, emotionally secure adults. On the contrary, independent sleeping instills confidence in a child if it is treated as a goal to be reached through various stages with rewards and parental encouragement rather than an overwhelming, traumatic situation which a child is not emotionally equipped to deal with (as evidenced by the intense, and sometimes endless, crying). If independent sleeping is treated like any other skill a child masters gradually and with confidence, such as reading and writing, if it is introduced with positive reinforcement, such as praise or a favorite snack, pleasant, reassuring bedtime rituals, such as fun toys in the bath and story time, understanding and encouragement when there are lapses, a child can then feel confident because he or she is accomplishing something rather than passively swallowing bitter medicine.

One way of encouraging independent sleeping, when a child is ready, is to emphasize that her bed is her "special place". Let her pick out her own sheets, her own pajamas, and especially her own stuffed animal to sleep with. Let him or her have as much input as possible in creating the bedtime routine. This will give the child a feeling of accomplishment and pride, rather than the feeling that the child is simply being kicked out of Mommy and Daddy's bed. If, at bedtime, a child feels confident either that Mommy and/or Daddy is there, or that she has reached the stage of learning to sleep alone, at her own pace, the child's overall sense of well-being will be strengthened, and there will be less reason to be afraid of the dark.

The Ten Commandments For Parents To Have a Smart Child
1. Thou shall provide a home filled with love and joy.2. Thou shall respond promptly to the needs of your baby.3. Thou shall talk, read, dance, and count to your baby as often as possible.4. Thou shall be enthusiastic, energetic, and happy when talking, counting, playing, and stimulating your baby.5. Thou shall read to your baby every day as often as possible.6. Thou shall read the cues and temperament of your baby. Thou shall stop reading or stimulating her at the early sign of tiredness or bored ness.7. Thou shall not let her watch Television, VCR, or computer until she is 6 year old.8. Thou shall not shout, fight, or be angry when baby is around her seeing or hearing distance.9. Thou shall provide her with adequate books and toys for stimulation of her brain.10. Thou shall maintain a stable and intact family. Reprinted with permission from www.BrilliantBaby.com & Leo Leonidas, MD, FAAP

Modern parents want to do everything they can to help their children's brain development. Never before have there been so many products and books sold that claim to help parents stimulate their baby's brain, assist in brain development, and give baby an intelligence "edge".

Recently, a variety of studies have come to light that tout the benefits of breastfeedingon brain development and intelligence.

What IS the connection between breastfeeding and intelligence?

It comes down to a couple of important things, some of which are tangible and measurable, and somethat are not.

The Importance of Fats and Other Essential Nutrients

Breast milk contains the ideal ratio of fats, amino acids and other nutrients that baby needs for brain and nervous system development. These ingredients provide the ideal basis for the "hard-wiring"component of a person's intelligence.

For instance, Taurine is an important amino acid found in high concentrations in mother's milk. (In contrast, it is almost nonexistent in cow's milk.) Taurine has an important role in the development of brain tissue, among other things. A baby's body is unable to form Taurine on its own, so s/he is totally reliant on his food to supply this.

Another important ingredient of mom's milk are fats. Breast milk contains high amounts of important fats, such as DHA and ARA. These are very important components of brain structures, and research has shown that breastfed infants have higher concentration of these essential fats in their brain and blood than do formulafed babies.

Some artificial baby milk manufacturers are adding Taurine and DHA to their formulas, but this does not makethese identical to mother's milk. Researchers have concluded that there is an important interplay betweenall of the components of breast milk that cause this effect, and that this effect can't be duplicated.

Cholesterol is another ingredient found in high concentrations in breast milk. It is needed to build tissue in the brainand nervous system. Babies need cholesterol in the first two years of life. (Incidentally, there is evidencethat points to a connection between cholesterol in breast milk and the ability to handle dietery cholesterol in adulthood.)

Studies comparing breastfed children and their formula fed peers in different ages and stages of life show time andagain that breastfed infants do better on various tests of intellectual ability. Some have shown these differences persisting for many years.

Even after the differences in socioeconomic status were accounted for or eliminated in these studies, breastfed children still clearly come out ahead.

In fact, one study showed that premature infants who were breastfed had significantly higher IQs than formulafed babies, and when babies were fed a combination of breast milk and formula, their cognitive scores were directly related to the amount of mother's milk they received.

Hormones- Both Baby's and Mom's

Mother's milk has a high level of endorphins in the first few days after birth. No doubt this helps the baby ease the transition to life outside the womb.

When babies are stressed out, their tiny bodies are in "fight or flight" mode, and essential energyis directed away from growth and development, which would have an obvious effect on the brain.

Additionally, a nursing Mom is biologically a different animal than a non-breastfeeding one.

For instance, when a woman breastfeeds, her body is flooded with pleasure hormones, one of whichis Oxytocin, the so called "love hormone", that is also present during orgasm. This hormone helps her to feel relaxed and bonded with her baby. Oxytocin triggers nurturing activity, which no doubt plays a huge role in baby's cognitive and emotional development.

Since lactation suppresses the nervous system response to stressful stimuli, a happy nursing Mommy means a happy baby!

What are some of the intangible benefits that breastfeeding has on brain development and IQ?

Physical Closeness and Emotional Health

In recent years a lot of emphasis has been put on "Emotional Intelligence". How does breastfeeding assist with helping a child develop this?

The closeness of breastfeeding is an important bridge between baby's intrauterine life and his new experience of being out in the world.Studies have shown that babies who receive lots of closeness with their primary caregiver, and lots of stimulatingeye contact and "conversation" are getting important brain stimulation that gadgets and toys cannot produce.

That is not to say that a formula feeding Mother doesn't do this, but abreastfeeding baby can't help but have lots of skin to skin contact and interaction with his Mother!

Breastfeeding also gives Mom a chance to reconnect with her busy crawling baby or walking toddler, who seems to spend all his time running from Mom. Having several quiet moments during the day to kiss those dimpled hands, sniff that sweet smelling head, and tickle thosefat feet (that will be bigger than your own soon enough) is an important way for Mom and Baby to get that closeness.

The late Dr. Lee Salk, pediatric psychologist, said that "The baby whose cries are answered now will later be the child confident enough to show his independence and curiosity. But the baby left to cry may develop a sense of isolation and distrust, and may turn inward...later in life, this child may continue to cope with stress by trying to shut out reality."

The closeness of breastfeeding makes for a happier baby, one who is settled inside and who trusts that another human willbe there to meet his needs, instead of an outside gadget. Don't we want our children learning this important lesson from infancy?

Of course, breastfeeding does not automatically guarantee that a child will be smart, but it can be a way to guaranteethat a child lives up to their full genetic potential for emotional intelligence, smarts and IQ!



Carrie Lauth is a breastfeeding counselor and the Mother of 3 breastfed children (not all at the same time!). You can see what she's up to at http://momzdabomb.blogspot.com and
http://www.motmomz.com

Our Smart Baby Blog is a blog for parents, moms to be and others searching for information about smart babies, how to raise a smart baby and child, and more smart baby information.